7 Best Laptop For Penetration Testing [2021] Buying Guides & Advice

Are you a pentester who is passionate about pentesting…? Well, you are in the right spot because this article is particularly targeting the needs of pentesters.

In the daily lives of common people, artificial intelligence and information technology is a huge breakthrough and penetration testing is part of these fields. Penetration testing allows the tester to know the vulnerability of an app and people are excelling in this field day by day.

Usually, pentesters have to run multiple VM’s on their working tool. Also, they need to run multiple tools like ‘Kali Linux’ via different softwares, so in order to excel in the skillset in penetration testing, a suitable laptop is required which allows checking the app processes without any lags.

best-laptop-for-penetration-testing

A robust and powerful machine is essential to run resource-intensive penetration softwares so the machine should have adequate memory, a powerful processor, decent battery life, FHD screen resolution, and efficient GPU to enjoy an interactive and robust user experience.

Considering these important aspects, we have shortlisted few candidates that are highly suitable to meet the penetration expectations. Our best laptops for penetration testing will allow you to access the application’s data and information without lags and glitches.

We highly recommend taking a look at the best candidates for penetration testing. Let’s jump right into it.

7 BEST LAPTOP FOR PENETRATION TESTING

  • Acer Predator Helios 300
  • Acer Aspire 5
  • Microsoft Surface Pro 7
  • New Apple MacBook Pro
  • HP 17
  • Dell XPS 15
  • ASUS ZenBook 13

#1. Acer Predator Helios 300 (laptop specs for penetration testing)

As penetration testing is a resource-intensive task, so only a robust machine will be able to deliver what you want, that is why we are recommending a gaming machine. Yes!

The first ultimate pentesting laptop is Acer Predator Helios 300. This gaming machine will deliver the performance that you need for pen-testing. In terms of build quality, we figured out that this machine is sturdy with sharp front and rear corners. As far as we talk about design, this machine looks good and cleaner. Also, while reviewing if we compare the weight of this machine with other laptops of this class, it has a balanced and normal weight.

Its full HD 15.6 inches display is so smooth with a perfect blend of good color and ample brightness. Outside of gaming, for penetration testing, you’ll have good visuals. The good thing about this laptop is an RGB keyboard which delivers a smooth experience. While testing, we observed that the arrow keys have thicker borders which detract from the smooth experience when pressed.

The pair of speakers inside the chassis of Predator 300 provides the sound that you want. Yes! You will not regret missing your headphones.

The innards of this machine-like Core i7 CPU, 32GB RAM & 256GB SSD provide a good entry-level working experience. we have tested thoroughly this machine while performing several penetration testing sessions and this machine worked well.

The port selection of this laptop is quite basic,  Thunderbolt support is missing. While performing battery testing, this Acer device touched six-hour marks, which isn’t too good for whole day productivity but it is enough for average users.

Pros
  • Good performance
  • Super smooth screen as tested
  • RGB Keyboard
  • Cleaner design than its predecessors
Cons
  • Chassis gets toasty under load
  • Chassis is strong but has some sharp corners
  • Average CPU performance for high-end tasks

#2. Acer Aspire 5 (what is the best laptop for penetration testing)

Presenting you Acer Aspire 5 as the best laptop for penetration testing which stands out as your lucrative choice to perform penetration testing. The major highlight of this machine is that it comes in the budget range of laptops for penetration testing, yes, this machine is highly affordable for people who are looking for a pen-testing machine in the range of $500 to $600.

Our review model of Acer Aspire 5 was a compact, slim and light machine that you can carry everywhere. Aspire 5 has stylish and bold looks that create appeal for people with style and aesthetics.

For a smooth performance, this machine is equipped with an 8th Generation quad-core processor that supports a lag-free penetration experience. Also, as per our reviews, this machine will assist the user in gaming, YouTubing, browsing, and other such activities. Its GPU is one of the key features that are one of the key features to consider this laptop.

The 15.6 inches FHD IPS display is efficient with a decent contrast ratio but brightness is just average. According to some of our display benchmark tests, this screen has certain limitations to dissatisfy the users.

This machine supports 7 hours of steady productivity after a charge. We have tested it on regular to heavy activities and it has performed well for several hours.

Pros
  • Portable device
  • Good Looks
  • High-quality Microphone
  • Good Color & Brightness
  • Wide Selection of ports
Cons
  • Average Performace
  • No Backlit keyboard
  • Lackluster display
  • Not Ubuntu friendly

#3. Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (best budget laptop for pentesting)

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is a detachable computer that provides laptop to tablet versatility. In terms of design, our review model was very much similar to its ancestors but the magnesium-alloy design was of high quality that provides a sleek and compact look to this machine. The bezels of this machine are pretty thick, which makes the design look a bit dated.

It is the best laptop for penetration testing because it is faster in processing than its ancestors. Thanks to its 10th Generation processor that is supporting power-intensive tasks like machine learning, pen testing, etc.

While testing this machine we came to know that the keyboard is an integral part of using Surface Pro 7. Yes, the keyboard of this machine is the peripheral that completes the 2-in-1 device concept. This keyboard is a bit flimsy but provides comfortable working angles. Also, its 12.3 inches touch screen display is quite sharp and poppy.

As far as port selection is sought, this machine has the inclusion of a USB Type-C port. Still, this machine doesn’t support Thunderbolt and users only get two ports.

When we tested the battery module of this device, we came to know that this machine gets charged from empty to almost 80% in just an hour. Its battery has worked for almost 10.5 hours under mixed usage and has stayed productive for several hours while performing pin testing. It is one of the premium devices for pen-testers so investing in this machine will be fruitful.

Pros
  • Snappy 10th Gen Intel Core processor
  • Robust battery life
  • Sharp display
  • Well-implemented kickstand
  • Includes USB-C port
Cons
  • Keyboard still sold separately
  • Just two ports, and no Thunderbolt support

#4. New Apple MacBook Pro (best laptop configuration for penetration testing)

Here comes another worth laptop from Microsoft. This is all system’s pro machine because it is specially designed for machine learning and other such high-end resource-intensive tasks. this machine is capable enough to deliver power and limits beyond expectations that is why we have recommended it as the best pentesting laptop.

The Apple M1 chip installed in this laptop provides 2.8x CPU performance, so pen testing is so smooth with this machine. This M1 chip is a mixture of powerful CPU, GPU, and neural engines that makes it highly compatible with machine learning and penetration testing.

Already, we have tested some predecessors of this machine and while testing we made a comparison and concluded that this machine has a beautiful design. Also, this machine excels in industry-leading privacy features that provide enhanced security to keep your device safe.

As this machine is developed to cater to high-end tasks, so the chances of overheating are high. In this regard, the manufacturers of this machine have designed an active cooling system to maintain the speed of blazing-fast performance.

Its brilliant retina display has provided incredible image details while testing. The visuals were sharp and clear. The white balance also adjusts automatically to match color temperatures. Cool!

The best thing about this machine is its battery life. Yes, this machine can last up to 20 hours which is quite rare in other MacBooks.

Pros
  • Brilliant Retina display
  • Much-improved keyboard
  • Apple doubled the base storage
  • Excellent battery life
  • Good graphics and computing performance
Cons
  • Low-quality camera
  • Limited port variety
  • No support for Wi-Fi 6
  • Expensive

#5. HP 17 (best laptop for pensioner)

The newest 2019 HP 17 is a perfect blend of sleekness, portability, durability, and performance. All these aspects are available at the pocket-friendly price tag that’s why we have considered this laptop as the best laptop for work for pen testers.

The review model that we were testing doesn’t have a long rundown of high-end features, but some available features on the specs chart are simply amazing.

The most highlight feature of this machine is its wide display. Its 17.3″ diagonal HD and BrightView WLED-backlit display support immersive visuals on a big screen.

HP 17 is a lightweight device so you can carry it anywhere without any burden and discomfort. Being a pentester, this laptop will not ruin your expectations in terms of performance if you are a beginner in this field because we have thoroughly tested this machine on multiple VM’s for pioneer penetration testers. It isn’t going to deliver blockbuster performance but delivers enough support to run smoothly pentesting tools.

The storage capacity is outstanding here with a support of 1TB HDD. When it comes to battery life, this machine has performed the best in all tests and made a record to stay productive for more than a day. The design of HP 17 isn’t so outstanding rather it is simple and elegant. In other words, the design is simple yet stylish.

Pros
  • Perfectly portable
  • Cool display
  • Good Battery life
  • Perfect for day to day work
  • Affordable
Cons
  • Overall design is simple
  • Not perfect for high-end work
  • Becomes hot at times

#6. Dell XPS 15 (penetration testing laptop)

Introducing you with the Dell XPS 15, one of the smallest 15.6 inches laptops with a brilliant display and blazing performance. As far as we consider design, the Dell manufacturers haven’t changed this design much in recent years, still the design and build quality are solid. This machine provides slick looks yet premium feels.

The display of this machine is quite vibrant, clear, and bright. This infinity edge anti-glare display supports a native resolution of 1920×1080 with 100% RGB coverage. Now you can enjoy outdoor entertainment freely with this anti-glare display. We have tested the 100% RGB coverage claim of manufacturers and the results are under claims. This display makes it the best laptop for works like browsing, watching movies, studying, note-taking, etc.

Now moving on to physical build-like ports, we can admit the port selection is more humdrum than the display. It has a total of 3 ports including 1 USB 2.0 port and 2 USB 3.0 ports.

The device features advanced Wi-Fi 6 technology that supports smooth online connectivity. Also, the best thing about this laptop is the improved webcam location. In the previous models, the webcam placement was inappropriate but now the webcam is placed in front and center of the famed infinity edge display.

XPS 15 delivers ultimate power for gamers, creators, and pen testers with its 9th Generation Intel Core i7 processor. Also, maximum memory and storage support quick responsiveness and a huge space for storing data.

When we put this laptop under battery test, it provided almost 14 hours of battery life under normal usage and a few hours less under mixed usage. With all these aspects, this laptop is the ultimate pentesting laptop.

Pros
  • Stellar display
  • Solid Quality build
  • Good battery life
  • Webcam back where it belongs
Cons
  • Design starting to feel a tad dated
  • So-so touchpad and keyboard

#7. ASUS ZenBook 13 (best penetration testing laptop)

ASUS ZenBook 13 is a premium laptop with decent specifications. This machine has a mesmerizing design but its surface is subjected to smudges very quickly. While testing, we observed that it was always infested with fingerprints. Although this ASUS laptop is slightly thick when compared with its competitors, still it is light and easy to carry.

In terms of port selection, this machine stands out with a DisplayPort, USB, USB Type C, USB 3.1 Type C, HDMI, SDHC, Thunderbolt port. This Windows 10 laptop has a 13.3 inches display with HD resolution and glossy panel. This screen isn’t very much suitable for outdoor working. Also, but the color contrast is on the dim side because this laptop has provided a 115 RGB spectrum score which is slightly less than its competitors.

The keyboard of ASUS Zenbook 13 features white backlighting with shallow key travel, which wasn’t very much suitable for our testing team, but the overall typing experience was good. As per out testing team touchpad is slightly small, not suitable for a comfortable experience. The touchpad was soft to touch and comfortable to use.

As far as the audio quality is concerned, this machine provides balanced background vocals, but the speakers were distorting the sound so it lacks audio output. As performance is the major concern of pentesters, so the good news is that Zebook 13 provides stunning performance on high-end tools and software. It runs famous pentesting software without lags but gets warm under pressure.  In terms of battery, you can enjoy 11 hours of battery backup.

Pros
  • Premium design
  • Solid performance
  • Great battery life
Cons
  • Dim display
  • Keyboard a bit cramped
  • Gets hot under load

WRAP UP:

There are dozens of laptops in the market that suits well to work as a laptop for penetration testing but the ones we have mentioned are tested thoroughly after taking expert opinions. All the recommended laptops have the proven ability to work perfectly for pentesters, so without any shilly-shallies pick the best one for you.

Enjoy happy shopping.

If you have any queries or confusion, let us know in the comment section below, we’ll be glad to assist you.

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